Chapter Text
Bruce didn’t know what to expect when he boarded the metal ship, solider rushed around him se carrying what looked like crates of weapons. He shuffled, feeling horrendously it of place and overwhelmed he glanced around and saw a flash of red and then the agent, Romanov, stood in front of him. “Dr. banner” she said coolly, she looked different than when her me her before, even amongst her supposed peers she still out “yeah uh hey” he gave a half wave and she nodded before glancing over his shoulder and he saw her spine straighten a little bit “Captain rogers” she said, and Bruce followed suit straightening his spine as he turned to take in the sight of the soldier out of time. Americas own super hero, who the last he’d heard was discovered to be a woman and not the man everyone had always assumed it was.
The woman before him was short, her blonde hair tied back from a passive face. She looked nothing like he’d expected, she wasn’t wearing army fatigues but a worn looking leather jacket and a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. “Agent, long time no see” she said, her voice was firm, and she then turned to Bruce her eyes studying him and he felt his skin prickle under the scrutiny “and this is” Romanov nodded before pointing at Bruce “Dr. Banner, one of the lead scientist on locating the tesseract” again she nodded, and Bruce finally found his voice “Its nice to meet you” The captain nodded forcing out a smile that came across more of a grimace and Bruce distinctly got the feeling that she didn’t want to be here anymore than he did. “You two catch up, I’m needed on the bridge” Romanov said before stalking away, the captain looked around her and sighed “I’m guessing you don’t want to be here either?”
“Not really, last time I met with SHIELD didn’t go so well” he replied, he twisted his hands before he blurted “You’re not really what I expected when they said you’d be here” she gave a short bitter laugh “Lemme guess, you were expecting some six foot blonde haired blue eyed patriotic dude with muscles?” Bruce gave an uncertain nod, she sighed heaved her bag higher on her shoulder “Yeah, I get that a lot” she muttered and for a second Bruce imagined what it must feel like to have an entire country feel disappointment that she wasn’t the fabled hero from the forties, but instead a young woman who did what she had to do. She turned and followed the route that the agent had taken leaving Bruce on his own, he gave another glance around him before taking a breath and followed the two women. The sooner he found this thing, the sooner he could be a ghost in the wind again.
5 days ago
Stephanie Rogers grunted as she continued to pound the punching bag in front of her, her brow soaked with sweat. She’d gone through 3 bags already since shed been here and she knew by the time she left shed have gone through a whole lot more. It had been almost a year since shed woken up and broken out of the shield base shed been held at. Since then she’d gone back to Brooklyn, finding nothing she remembered here she set out to make a quiet life, her bank account had been reinstated with a hefty increase in the money she’d had originally, she’d bought a small one-bedroom apartment in the same building she and Bucky had lived in together after their parents died. Only this time, she was alone.
“Thought I might find you here” A familiar voice behind her said, she tensed continuing to land hits into the bag in front of her “Not like I was hiding Fury” She ground out “Course, your little agents seem to be doing a mighty fine job keeping you updated on me” She whirled around landing a harsh stare at the man in front of her, he stood leaning against the boxing ring a folder held in grasp. “Well since the last time shield tried to help you- “he started before she broke in
“Help! You call the shit you tried to pull help” She spat her fists clenched “You wanted some patriotic ass hole who would wag their god damn tail every time you clicked your fingers and when that didn’t happen you tried to keep me in the dark”
“We did what we thought was best” He said calmly his one eye watching her carefully
“Oh yeah, better for who?” She said walking towards her table and grabbing a bottle of water
“We need your help” He said after a moment of silence
“That’s rich, you try to imprison me and now you want my help, you can shove it” She said beginning to unwrap her hands, a soft clatter made her look down and she saw the folder that fury had been holding now lying in front of her “Maybe read this before you decide” She snorted, snatching it up- her heart skipped a beat when the first image was of the same blue cube that she had sacrificed herself for “Son of a bitch” She ground out “Let me guess, you find this thing and think hey this didn’t cause enough problems the first time round lets try again huh” She looked at Fury her eyes hard “The tesseract was a project we intended for peace, the future of green energy” She snorted again “Right, cause red Skull was just real concerned about the planet” She threw the file back at the man “Count me out” She walked past him heading towards the doors intending to go back home and sleep “People will die Captain, a lot of good people” He said to her, she paused, her hand wavering on the door “And I should care why? Everyone I knew or cared for died some five years ago, find someone else to fight your damn war, I’ve done enough” she turned her face set in a grim line.
“I’ve read your psych eval, how every time you sleep you wake up thinking you’re right back in the ice, that the only thing you see before you do is the tesseract. How night after night you wake up in a cold sweat because you don’t know what time you’re in or what’s changed since- Help me with this and maybe you’ll find that peace you’re looking for” He said and in his eyes she could see he was almost pleading, she looked down before marching though the door slamming it behind her causing the wall surrounding it to crack.
“I’ve got to put this plane down, there’s no other way” She said her hands tightening on the wheel, the radio gave a crackle and a soft British voice came in “There must be something” She shut her eyes, feeling them sting “There isn’t any time, if I don’t then the whole of new York is gonna be wiped out, I’ve got to put it down into the ice” her voice cracked, she could hear Peter’s voice shouting orders to find her but she knew it would be too late “then do it then, but you better be ready to go dancing doll when this is all over” His voice said, she nodded slowing pushing the plane downwards, the sight of approaching ice coming closer “Course, got your pin in me soldier boy gonna take me out on the town” She said her voice shaking as she silently cried
“Course Steph, you’re my girl right” He replied
“Always” She whispered as the plane impacted, the last thing she saw was the blue cube glowing brighter as it filled her vision blinding her until she opened her mouth to scream-
“NO!” she yelled, panting as she shot awake. She gave a few shaky breaths, feeling her heart slowly calm down. She gave a broken sob running her hand through sweaty hair tugging st it before looking up, she bit her lip her eyes landing on the phone. She stood on shaky legs grabbing it, and carefully punching in Fury’s number “Director Fury” His gravelly voice toned at the end
“You’re going to destroy it. Not to study or to lock up, but to destroy that damn cube once and for all” She said
“That’s why we need your help Captain” He replied, she nodded taking a breath she sighed
“I’m in, I’ll be at base at 0900” She hung up before he could answer. She ran a hand through her hair brushing the loose strands from her face and glanced at her clothes scattered around. She needed to pack.